But 2020 is full of the unexpected, and McEnroe did just that as the narrator of Netflix's "Never Have I Ever," which premiered on the streaming service late last month. ", "We wanted Devi to have an inner monologue so that we could know what was going on in her brain," co-creator and executive producer Lang Fisher told ESPN. It seems as though every review I've read has some variation of, "John McEnroe is the most unexpected choice for a narrator, but it really works!" Kaling wanted to include the now-retired McEnroe, who is famous for his outbursts on the tennis court, partly because her own dad is a big fan. ESPN: First, how are you handling this unexpected downtime? But McEnroe has received rave reviews for his performance (which involves one physical scene in a crucial moment) -- even if some of the younger cast had no idea who he was when they started filming. That's why, in a way, it's been so great that this show came about at this specific time, which was, of course, coincidental. I wouldn't think so. Almost every time that word "bizarre" was used. Is this John McEnroe narrating Never Have I Ever? It wasn't always the same thing. Most of the time that doesn't end up happening. But possibly it works!" On that note, and this sounds ridiculous to say to you, but I've seen headlines that read, "Who is John McEnroe from 'Never Have I Ever?'" I'm lucky I'm out in Malibu. "When we decided that the character of Devi would have a temper, the McEnroe thing just kept coming back: you know, someone who's high-achieving but is undermined by their own temper. When viewers tuned in and watched Never Have I Ever, which is now on Netflix, they were caught off-guard by McEnroe's voice. You don't want to hear that one. ; Tennis star John McEnroe narrates the sitcom. When John McEnroe lost the 1984 French Open final to Ivan Lendl in heartbreaking fashion, he never envisioned one day, more than 35 years later, he would be describing that very moment as part of a devastatingly effective punchline in a coming-of-age Netflix series about a first-generation Indian American teenage girl. Loosely based on actress Mindy Kaling's childhood, the 10-part series includes the athlete as the voice of reason throughout the episodes and has shook social media to the core with its incredible randomness. headlines on numerous websites. If there's a place you're going to be stuck, this is a great place to be. Never Have I Ever debuted on Netflix in late April. And he was like, 'Yeah, no problem.' ', The sports legend had always been so interesting on court and to listen to him narate was mind blowing, I just watched a new Netflix series. "I went over to his art gallery and it was him and his wife (singer Patty Smyth)," Kaling says. "We just had coffee; I didn't even have a script at that point. Loosely based on actress Mindy Kaling's childhood, the 10-part series includes the athlete as the voice of reason throughout the episodes and has shook social media to the core with its incredible randomness. So I was happy about that.". I think his kids watched 'The Office' and knew me from that, and (told their parents), 'She has a good pedigree' or something. "One thing that's common for a lot of Indian parents is a love of tennis, it's like an English Anglophile kind of thing," Kaling told USA Today. She tries calling to them from across the beach, but they can't hear her. ", Netflix's 'Never Have I Ever': How Mindy Kaling made the teen show she always wanted, Patrick McEnroe, ESPN tennis commentator, tests positive for coronavirus, famous for his outbursts on the tennis court, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. I've read a lot of the scripts, but not in their entirety. But I've been inching closer to the TV and starting to watch a few scenes. And a couple of my children have been out here with me, and some of my other kids are out here [in the area] as well, so it's been good in that way. They were like, "You have to do it!" Tennis has opened so many doors. John McEnroe and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (playing Devi Vishwakumar) in a scene from Netflix's "Never Have I Ever." ESPN spoke to McEnroe earlier this week from his home in Malibu, California, about the show, the global reach of tennis, and how he feels about the current crop of "Who is John McEnroe from 'Never Have I Ever?'" and they had no idea I was a tennis player. Tennis has such a reach around the world, and I'm really grateful for that. Spoiler alert! "When we decided that the character of Devi would have a temper, the McEnroe thing just kept coming back: you know, someone who's high-achieving but is undermined by their own temper. Did you have any say in the script at all? I thought we would be able to whip out a couple of episodes during each session, but it didn't work out that way. McEnroe: I had no idea how many lines I was going to have. "She's not exactly great at expressing her feelings. McEnroe didn't actually know if this project would happen, but was willing to sign on. I think it's cathartic, in a way, even all these years later, especially in the context of a show like that. I hope your day is as unexpectedly delightful as the John McEnroe narration in @mindykaling's 'Never Have I Ever. Before the series, Ramakrishnan, 18, admits she had no idea who McEnroe was. McEnroe: We went over all that, but Mindy and Lang [Fisher], they're great writers. ("Devi strode off, confident her friends would believe this b******t story," McEnroe says. McEnroe: You go for these studio sessions, and there are a number of people around giving you positive suggestions and telling you what you need to change and how long you have to say a certain line. I can't believe it's you! By creating an account, you verify that you are at least 13 years of age, and have read and agree to the PopCulture.com Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, By John Newby But I feel some pride about that, and that we might have pulled it off. There's different ways that I got to narrate things, which was cool. Kaling said she knew he was perfect for it. I laughed my ass off at this show. We kept talking about him and were like, 'Wait, should he be doing the narration?' John McEnroe as the narrator on Never Have I Ever is...inspired. I never watch my matches or my commentary, or the movies or whatever I've been in. in it. John McEnroe: What crazy times. Actually. Kaling reached out to McEnroe's agent and arranged a meeting while she was in New York for the Met Gala last spring. He just showed up in a wet suit and it was awesome. And at first, I thought that was cool in itself, but then I realized, he listened to that match when he was on Robben Island in prison. It ended up really being one episode per session usually. He seemed pretty chill. (Just watch, you'll see.). It's like, "Oh, my God! "Well, they'll certainly hear me," says McEnroe, who bumps into Devi on the beach. She was like, "Oh, my God! We kept talking about him and were like, 'Wait, should he be doing the narration?' It's amazing when people tell me their parents were big fans, it's such a great feeling. McEnroe, to the delight and confusion of viewers, narrates her story. We shot 15 minutes away from his house, so it was easy.". I just said, 'This is the vision,' and they were into it. You have to keep a certain energy and mentally be focused. 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Now, McEnroe has a number of cameos under his belt, though 2020 brought a new credit to his IMDB page: He narrated an entire season of a Netflix show about a teenage girl. McEnroe: Hey, you know, I think it worked out, this tennis thing. And then it actually happened. Kaling says McEnroe's onscreen cameo came together at the last minute: "He was actually in Malibu with his wife and we were like, 'Hey, do you want to come do this?' Mindy was walking out. I found that funny. McEnroe yells to Devi's family and successfully gets their attention, saving the day. [Though] I haven't watched a single episode start to finish. So, most of it was from them. But one of the new series' most unexpected gifts is tennis icon John McEnroe, who dryly narrates the life of angsty heroine Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), a booksmart teen navigating her world of friends and boys while mourning the sudden loss of her dad, Mohan (Sendhil Ramamurthy) from a heart attack during her harp recital. I'm used to being on the road, I'm a Type A guy and always working. I've got 3.4 seconds to get this line in." And sometimes, [as the narrator], I'm bemused, other times I got to be angry, other times you're supportive. My kids are like, "Dad, come watch!" McEnroe: My agent and my daughter and a few other people have sent me a number of reviews, and they all are like, "In the beginning, there's a bizarre choice being made -- the narrator. So, to mention that, it's never easy. Mindy Kaling explains how tennis star John McEnroe wound up narrating (and appearing in) her teen Netflix comedy "Never Have I Ever," now streaming. The 61-year-old tennis legend and current ESPN commentator is perhaps the unlikeliest choice for the role and the use of phrases like "thirst trap" and "serving a damn lewk." Even telling you this story now gives me goosebumps. He offers to help after she tells him her dad loved tennis and is now dead. McEnroe, like Devi, was known for his epic meltdowns throughout his tennis career. Talk about putting things in perspective. He has really high standards for himself and everyone around him. I’m only halfway through the pilot of Never Have I Ever and I’m already completely in the tank for this show. We casually talked to him. Lana and I were hurtin' for a new sitcom after finishing PEN15, and we finally found Never Have I Ever, which is hilariously and inexplicably narrated by John McEnroe? McEnroe: I think it's cool. I know it was sort of a left-field move to have me as the narrator. I was surprised that John McEnroe is narrating "Never Have I Ever", i have been super bummed about Wimbledon being cancelled this year but then never have i ever got john mcenroe to narrate and it sort of felt like wimbledon so thanks world . The choice of Johnny Mac is inspired. It works, it's fun. '. People are reacting to it like I am with the Jordan documentary (ESPN's "The Last Dance"), it's like, "I can't wait for Episode 7!". Suddenly you're part of a show that seemingly has nothing to do with you, but yet, there's a connection. "One thing that's common for a lot of Indian parents is a love of tennis. After that movie came out [in 2002], I probably had 1,000 people come up to me and say, "It's the guy from Deeds!" It ended up taking a lot longer than I anticipated. She approached the tennis great and pitched the idea of having him narrate the series. This story contains details about the season finale of Netflix's "Never Have I Ever," now streaming. McEnroe narrates the scripted coming-of-age series. I can't watch. He has really high standards for himself and everyone around him. It's like, "Who the hell is this old fart narrating this show?" and I'm like, "No!" At least with this, it's a lot easier because it's just my voice and I don't have to watch myself. That's the toughest loss I ever had. JOHN MCENROE … Tennis doesn't have a lot of that, and it's something I've enjoyed a lot more as I've gotten older. Although McEnroe's role is primarily in voiceover, he makes a brief cameo (playing himself) in the season finale, as Devi races to meet her mom (Poorna Jagannathan) and older cousin (Richa Moorjani) before they scatter her dad's ashes in the ocean. The painful, obviously, was when I blew the '84 French. It feels like "The Last Dance" and "Never Have I Ever" are the two shows everyone is talking about right now. All rights reserved. McEnroe: That's exactly it. It took a lot longer and was a lot trickier than I imagined, and I tried to just get better as we went on. He did fantastic. What was the show making process like for you? And this is [almost] 20 years later. “I don’t know why it works,” he said. I'm like, "Oh, OK." Well, you know how that goes. "When I read the script for the first episode, me and a couple castmates had to figure out, 'Who is this narrator?' So, I took that with a grain of salt, but I told some of my kids the next day that I had met her and what she said. How did this all come to be? What is like to be known to a younger generation as the guy from a Netflix show, as opposed to a tennis legend? McEnroe: Being in the studio felt like being part of a team. Somehow his comparison of putting on a happy face at that very Roland Garros trophy ceremony works perfectly when describing the reaction of the main character's cousin grudgingly agreeing to an arranged marriage. From that standpoint, I feel lucky. Sometimes we would change things to fit, or if I said, "That didn't make sense," for whatever reason, some of the references, the '83 Open as opposed to the '85 Open, just to get those things right. Did you binge the Netflix series when it came out? McEnroe: I have a tough time. Like the reference of the 1984 French Open final. And I enjoyed throwing out certain tennis references because I'm guessing most people watching are pretty young and have no idea what I'm talking about when I say the '84 French Open. The 10-episode series centers around 15-year-old Devi Vishwakumar (played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), a precocious and slightly hot-headed high school sophomore who returns to school after a series of traumatic events, including the loss of her father. I'm trying to use this time for reflection and reviewing. It kind of breaks the fourth wall in a perfect way. Why is he narrating? I'm thinking to myself, "Here I am, complaining about some umpire, and this is the greatest person I ever met in my entire life and he's sitting there telling me it's great to meet me, and that he listened to me play tennis." My favorite parts of the show are when John McEnroe is incredibly invested in the lives of these teens.". And it's such an endearing and genuine connection, too. Entertainment Tonight/TV Guide Network. Devi's dad loved tennis, and it timed out that he would have grown up watching McEnroe.". But I will say, this role shows the global reach of tennis, even if the younger generation doesn't know who I am. But it feels like "Groundhog Day," no question about that. Would have jumped into this show WAY sooner. Kaling chose McEnroe to narrate — and make a brief cameo — in her new Netflix series Never Have I Ever, in part because of the athlete's famous temper. Deeds" with Adam Sandler. I knew how good Mindy [Kaling] was as a writer, and the team she has around her, and it's been nice to see how well done everything is that I've seen. It's like an English Anglophile kind of thing," Kaling tells USA TODAY. It's nice to be a part of something like this. Somehow, we all got invited to Mandela's house after, and when we're there, he says to me, "I listened to your Wimbledon match [the 1980 final] against [Bjorn] Borg on the radio." Copyright 2018 PopCulture.com. Known for having a contenious temper during his prolific career, the decision was made when McEnroe met Kaling at a Vanity Fair Oscar Party, according to Variety. I was expecting, "This is the stupidest idea ever." the best casting of this decade. I'll never forget when I went to South Africa, after apartheid ended and Nelson Mandela had become president -- I refused to go before -- and played in an exhibition match. I am thankful I don't have the stress though [like the current players] where it's like, "Oh God, I'm missing a chance to win Wimbledon." So it's better to go hard for a couple hours and then regroup and come back the next day, or a couple days or a week later. Netflix has a new coming-of-age series about an Indian-American teenager, Never Have I Ever and features a very surprising narrator in longtime, tennis icon, John McEnroe. The show is just what I need now... Love, but: McEnroe gets tired and the ep with Samberg was such a delightful surprise and change, John McEnroe has me laughing every time he speaks. And because she has a temper, we just thought it would be funny for her thoughts to be voiced by John since he is famous for his outbursts on the court. Really pretty furious at everyone who said Never Have I Ever is awesome without mentioning the fact that John McEnroe is the narrator. I have this idea about you doing a show that I'm writing!" Almost jarring to the eye and ear, the selection caused confusion at times, though the majority of watchers absolutely loved the decision and believe the tennis star added some unique entertainment value they can't get enough of. Mindy Kaling's Netflix comedy "Never Have I Ever" (now streaming) is a show full of small surprises: a deeply moving exploration of culture and grief, cleverly disguised as a hormone-fueled coming-of-age comedy. (Although it had me at “Out of the blue, John McEnroe is the narrator.”). When I met Mindy, she said, "My parents were big fans, and they watched you play, so I had to, too." McEnroe: My wife (singer and songwriter Patty Smyth) and I were at the Vanity Fair Oscars party last year, and we were on our way in to do [portraits] with Mark Seliger, he's a great photographer. When John McEnroe lost the 1984 French Open final to Ivan Lendl in heartbreaking fashion, he never envisioned one day, more than 35 years later, he would be describing that very moment as part of a devastatingly effective punchline in a coming-of-age Netflix series about a first-generation Indian American teenage girl. I've had a home here for a long time. They did such a strong job. Written and created by Mindy Kaling of "The Mindy Project," the show has become a bingeworthy obsession for many during the current quarantine era. John McEnroe narrating ‘Never have I ever’ is one of the oddest and most delightful choices. She's determined to reinvent herself as cool and part of the in crowd. Devi's dad loved tennis, and it timed out that he would have grown up watching McEnroe. - May 16, 2020 04:06 pm EDT. It was more of a part than I realized. But it was really interesting to film with him. Netflix has a new coming-of-age series about an Indian-American teenager, Never Have I Ever and features a very surprising narrator in longtime, tennis icon, John McEnroe.
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